Hertz is holding a career fair at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort and Spa in Estero / Tim Engstrom/news-press.com

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Hertz Corp. hiring managers have seen 264 applicants in the first hour of the Career Fair at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort and Spa in Estero.

Applicants first check into a room where their resume or on-site application can be reviewed and they they are routed to one of several other rooms based on their experience, such as operations, administration, finance and so on.

"We decided that, since this is our first big splash in this market, we wanted to throw out a wide net," said Patti Ippoliti, vice president of global recruiting for Hertz. "We are looking for people who want to build a career with us."

Job seeker Chris Bravo, 24, of Cape Coral, has been working as a truck driver, but wants to spend more time with his family.

"A company this big moving to this area is huge because it is going to create a lot of opportunities," Bravo said. "I think more companies are going to follow it."

From earlier this morning:

The Hertz Corp. Career Fair is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. today at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort and Spa in Estero.

The event continues until 8 p.m. today and runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday.

Two thousand or more people are expected over the two days as the company hires in anticipation of its relocation from New Jersey to Southwest Florida. Applicants are asked to bring a completed resume.

“Obviously, this is a great opportunity for anyone who wants to build a career with us,” Patti Ippoliti, vice president of global recruiting for Hertz, said from the company’s temporary headquarters in North Naples. “This is our first big splash in the market, so we are excited about that.”

While it is the first chance to apply for a job with Hertz in person, it won’t be the last, Ippoliti said.

“We will be doing another one in the fourth quarter and another in the first quarter,” she said.

Job seekers are asked to have a resume ready when they arrive at the Hyatt because it will help recruiters direct them to the correct hiring managers. Depending on the turnout, hiring managers may conduct brief interviews with candidates, Ippoliti said.

Also on Wednesday, the company intends to present preliminary building plans for its $68 million headquarters campus at Williams Road and U.S. 41 to the Estero Design Review Committee.